British rocker Pete Doherty has been warned he faces a return to jail after he pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine on Friday. The Libertines and Babyshambles frontman was arrested in January last year following the suspected drugs death of filmmaker Robin Whitehead.

In February he denied the charge and was ordered to stand trial, but on Friday, Doherty changed his plea to guilty during a hearing at Snaresbrook Crown Court in east London.

The rocker, who has a long history of drug addiction and has served several stints behind bars, has been warned he faces more jail time when he is sentenced next month.

Judge David Radford branded Doherty’s criminal record “unattractive” and told his lawyer, “When someone constantly commits the same offense the law must be made very clear. Is your client aware he could face a sentence?”

Doherty had spent time with Whitehead in the days before her death, and the apartment in Hackney, east London where she died was being rented by his pal, Peter Wolfe.

Wolfe appeared in court with Doherty on Friday and pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine and supplying the drug to Whitehead. Another friend of Doherty’s, musician Alan Wass, pleaded not guilty to possessing cocaine.

Doherty was freed on unconditional bail pending his sentencing hearing.